Sunday, May 8, 2011

Silky skills: Stallion Jeffrey has amazed staff at the Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary with his talents

This pint-sized pony is hoofing his way to soccer stardom.

Stallion Jeffrey has amazed staff at the Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary who are hoping he’ll share his silky skills with their other residents.

Staff at the Ramsbottom charity became aware of the two-year-old’s amazing soccer talents a few weeks ago.

After giving him a ball to play with Jeffrey was soon showing off his control skills and even started using a field shelter for a goal.

Manager Neil Martin said: 'He was looking a bit bored so we put a football in with him to see if he would like to play with it.

'He really took to it and now he has his own ball that he likes to dribble all over the field – and he even uses the field shelter as his goal.'

Jeffrey is one of three miniature ponies at the sanctuary and staff are hoping that at least one of the others will also take up the game – to give the star some competition.

Natural goalscorer: Staff at the farm gave Jeffrey the ball because they thought he was bored

Neil said: 'Jeffrey hasn’t been with us for very long and he’s still quite young so, as he lives among some of the old codgers of the equine world, he has to find other ways to enjoy himself – and football is his latest trick.

'He loves to score goals, but he very much plays by his own rules. He doesn’t want us to be in goal and keep the ball out.

'He’s very enthusiastic about playing. He has a friend in with him, Bracken, who thinks he is crackers, running around after the ball.

'Bracken used to be a bit scared of the ball, but he’s fine with it now. He just looks at Jeffrey like he’s an immature little fellow.

'He also has a love interest, one of the other miniature ponies, who is named Tweedle Dee, so perhaps he has other things on his mind other than football while she is around.'